The plane scheduled to carry Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and others home from Antarctica has broken down - but never fear, an Italian crew has saved the day and will fly her and her entourage back to New Zealand today.

The Prime Minister has been in Scott Base this week, marking the 65th anniversary of the site.

She was meant to touch down in Christchurch about 6am today but the Airforce Hercules wasn’t able to make the flight back.

A spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s office says an Italian plane will instead be taking her and her entourage back to New Zealand.

That flight is expected to be wheels up from Scott Base at 10am - and will arrive in Christchurch at about 6pm.

The start of the trip was also delayed when the flight to Antarctica was cancelled mid-flight because of poor weather.

The Prime Minister reflected on her trip last night, sharing her impression of the work that is going on in the south.

 “It’s one thing to read on paper and many of us will have heard about the research that’s been that’s been conducted here - but to be able to come and see it in person and talk to those who are part of it was something else,” she said.

“The enthusiasm for the work, how committed and dedicated our researchers and scientists are is incredible.

“You can see why what they’re researching is so critical, not just to New Zealand, but to the world and it brings them back year after year.”

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Ardern said her job was to make sure that their research was informing the government’s decision-making,.

“Because all of this work is in vain if we don’t listen to what the science is telling us, and it’s telling us that this place is changing and that we have a hand in that,” she said.

 “So our job is to support them to keep building the information we need - but our job is also to make decisions that factor in what they’re learning.”

Ardern said the “whole Antarctica New Zealand programme” was “a reflection of who we are as a country”.

“A small footprint, small team of people - but the work that they’re doing is incredible,” she said.

“And the value that it has to the world is incredible.

“It makes me feel really proud as a Kiwi to come and see New Zealanders doing that work - it really does.

“When you see the research New Zealand is doing its groundbreaking... We just need to make sure that we’ve got continuity and that that keeps going.”